Ratanakiri province of Cambodia and Gia Lai province of Vietnam have agreed to continue their cooperation in the search, collection, and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers who died during the war in the Cambodian province. The efforts will continue throughout the 2025–2026 dry season.
On Tuesday, the Ratanakiri Provincial Expert Committee of Cambodia and the Gia Lai Provincial Expert Committee of Vietnam signed a cooperation agreement to reaffirm their joint commitment.
The signing ceremony took place in Ratanakiri province under the chairmanship of Ma Vichet, Chairman of the Ratanakkiri Provincial Expert Committee, and Nguyen Thi Thanh Lich, Chairwoman of the Gia Lai Provincial Expert Committee.
For the upcoming dry season, the two sides agreed to continue joint operations to locate and collect the remains of Vietnamese who died in various districts of Ratanakiri province, including O’Yadav, Borkeo, Lumphat, Koun Mom, Banlung, and surrounding areas.
The agreement follows the 24th meeting between the committees of Vietnam and Cambodia, held in September, during which both sides reviewed the outcomes of the 2024–2025 dry season and outlined priorities and tasks for the 2025–2026 season.
During the 2024–2025 dry season, joint efforts led to the discovery and collection of 781 remains of Vietnamese volunteers across Cambodia. Of these, eight were found through the cooperation of the provincial committees.